It has been confirmed that Petra Kvitova will compete at the French Open after recovering from injuries sustained when she was stabbed at her home in December.
An announcement was made today by the Czech Republic player’s team stating the 27-year-old’s progress has been good enough for her to feature at Roland Garros in Paris.
The news comes on the same day that the draws for the Grand Slam tournament were revealed. The tournament starts on Sunday (May 28) and will run until June 11.
Kvitova has not played competitively since December when an intruder posing as a maintenance man got into her home and attacked her with a knife, stabbing her left hand.
Earlier this week, it was said that Kvitova, who has won the Wimbledon women’s singles title twice and a bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, was eyeing up a possible return at the year’s second Grand Slam tournament.
She returned to training earlier this month, posting a picture on social media of her at a court in Monte Carlo.
Speaking during a press conference today, she expressed her delight at being able to play again and had already “won her biggest fight.”
“I’m here in the draw and I’m playing tennis again, and it was a difficult time for me, of course,” she said.
“I know that my hand, it’s not perfectly ready.
“It’s still not 100 percent ready, so we will see how everything goes, but I’m happy that I am able to play again.”
In the women’s singles draw, Kvitova, who is the 15th seed for the tournament, will face Julia Boserup of the United States in the first round.
Defending women’s singles champion Garbine Muguruza has an interesting tie in the opening round as the Spaniard faces the 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone.
Germany’s world number one Angelique Kerber will face Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova, who won women’s doubles gold at Rio 2016 with Elena Vesnina.
A big name who will not be in the women’s draw is Maria Sharapova after the Russian was not given a wildcard for the tournament following her return from a 15-month drugs ban.
In the men’s singles draw, reigning champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia will be up against Spain’s Marcel Gronollers in the first round.
If results go the right way, then Djokovic could find himself up against nine-time French Open winner and tournament fourth seed Rafael Nadal.
Top seed and world number one Sir Andy Murray has been drawn against Russian Andrey Kuznetsov.
By George Thorpe
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.